The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) has announced a £1million initiative to help stimulate developments in robotics and autonomous systems.

The brief encompasses a number of research areas within the control and automation sector, including food and beverage, robot-to-human interaction, sensor development and selected areas of manufacturing.

Announcing the competition at an Intellect event in January, Huw Davies, Technology Lead (Electronics) at the TSB, said that the scope was wide-ranging, covering most areas, though not robots for unmanned aircraft.

Grants up to a maximum of £133,000 will be awarded to collaborative SME-led teams to carry out technical feasibility studies into early-stage and novel concepts as a precursor to larger R&D projects.

The object of the competition is to stimulate innovation in the control, automation, robotics and manufacturing industry.

Defence, aerospace, manufacturing, transport, and consumer goods sectors could all benefit from commercialisation of successful ideas.

“This investment will give innovative UK companies the time and space they need to develop robotics and autonomous systems,” said Universities and Science Minister David Willetts.

“This is an exciting technology area that could make a real difference to a range of sectors, such as high value manufacturing.”